Alice Human Sacrifice
by Mii-Chan 24
Summary: In some place was a little dream - who dreamed it, unknown, such a truly little dream it was. One day, the little dream thought 'I don't want to be vanishing like this... how can I make people watch me...? COMPLETE FINAL CHAPTER UP
1. Chapter 1

**Alice Human Sacrifice**

**By Amaya 24**

**Disclaimer: Do not own.**

**Prologue: Once Upon a Time**

**- - - - - - -**

_In some place was a little dream._

_Who dreamed it, unknown..._

_Such truly little dream it was._

_One day, the little dream thought:_

_"I don't want to be vanishing like this!_

_How can I make people watch me?"_

_The little dream thought and thought..._

_And finally came up with an idea._

_"I could get people stray into me,_

_And let _them _make the world."_

- - - - -

It really had been an amazing find.

Things like that did not appear every day -- in fact, it had come at the perfect time to terrorize the exorcists at the Black Order.

And as far as she was concerned, they had been enjoying too many days without trouble.

"This is going to be fun..."

The child riding upon a pink umbrella opened her hands, and from them surged a soft wisp of smoke. The cloud writhed before the girl, swirled around her form once, then fluttered down to the long, ominous-looking tower below.

Those exorcists wouldn't know what hit them.

"Lero... Mistress Rhode... What was that, Lero?"

The girl laughed brightly. "That, Lero, is the best thing that could have happened to us."

Down below, a tinkling little melody drifted up to meet the girl's ears, the sound cheerful yet slightly ominous at the same time.

_Who will be my next Alice?_

- - - - -


	2. Chapter 2

**Alice Human Sacrifice**

**By Amaya 24**

**Disclaimer: Do not own.**

**Chapter 1: The First Alice**

- - - - -

_The first Alice was a strong woman of the Spade_

_Who bravely held a mystic sword in hand._

_Anything in her path was quickly chopped aside_

_Slowly carving a red road of blood in the sand._

_Soon that Alice found herself deep in the forest_

_Locked within as a sinner for the rest of her life_

_No one in the forest knew what was to come of her_

_Ending her reign of terror and strife._

- - - - -

All was quiet in the Black Order -- for once. The scientists had at last received more than two hours of rest, and were taking advantage of the luxury while they could. Their snores could be heard echoing through the Order, the sound, while annoying, did nothing to disturb the rest of the other inhabitants.

After some time, even the snores quieted down, shrouding the tall castle in a tranquil silence.

Nothing stirred, save for the light breeze drifting through a cracked window in one of the Exorcist's rooms.

The young man sleeping in the room shifted slightly, frowning unconsciously as the cool gust brought with it the sound of high-pitched giggling.

The giggling died out, only to be replaced by a lighthearted melody that made the sleeping figure squirm, teetering at the brink of alertness and sleep.

The sound hushed considerably, ringing around the sleeping form teasingly, probing lightly to see if he would wake.

The boy flipped over unceremoniously, his long, dark hair hiding his face effectively, drowning out the delicate strands of what could only be described as carnival music that filled his room, amplifying and wrapping around the sleeping teen.

_Are you the next Alice...?_

- - - - -

Kanda Yuu was not happy. Then again, he never was, but more so at the moment.

He glared at his surroundings, his body tense in case of attack, squinting at the blindingly vibrant colors that screamed at him all around. It would have been funny how amazingly clear the colors were, if it wasn't so unsettling.

As far as he was concerned, being in a strange clearing with no weapon and no memory of arriving there was no laughing matter.

"Tch... What a pain," he grumbled under his breath, jerking around quickly as a distorted, ethereal song began playing. Carnival music, it seemed, with lots of bells and whistles and God knows what else. Certainly nothing he would listen to willingly.

Huffing angrily at the disembodied sounds, he straightened up and began trying to find a way out of the surrounding forest, silently daring anything lurking in the shadows to mess with him. He did not have his precious sword at the moment, but he could still fight.

As he walked, the volume of the song seemed to fade, then return twice as loud, irritating the hell out of him in hopes of making him stay.

He stopped suddenly, and the tune seemed to hesitate, tinkling infuriatingly in the background. Then, as if emboldened by the Japanese teen's lack of response, it swelled deafeningly, making said teen slam his palms over his ears in an effort to calm the onslaught.

The sound grew, overlapping, repeating, looping around him until Kanda thought he would snap from the stress it was putting on his mind. If the stupid rabbit had been there, he would have laughed and called him weak, but something about the song was wheedling into his brain, driving him up the metaphorical wall.

Abruptly, the song faded, leaving nothing but the lingering echo that follows loud, unexpected noises. Surprised by the erratic behavior, the exorcist glanced up, eyes falling upon the object impaled on the hard ground a few feet away from him, fairly sure that said object had not been there moments before.

The sword _looked_ like Mugen, but he knew with certainty that the weapon before him was not his Innocence. His anti-Akuma weapon, while capable of destroying even the fiercest Akuma, never glowed so darkly. It was as if the air around it was rippling with an obscure aura.

Wrinkling his nose in distaste, the samurai turned his back on the demon sword and walked back the way he came, searching for a way back to his room. Never mind that he had no idea where he was, or where the Order was -- all he cared about was returning to his bed to rest.

_Kanda..._

He froze, breathing shallowly so as to pinpoint the sound without affecting his perception. Nothing stirred, making him feel uneasy. Something about the entire place seemed off... threatening, even, despite the colorful atmosphere.

_Kanda... _Glaring irritably, said boy turned around, his eyes running over the sword to glance into the foliage beyond. Again, nothing but green assaulted his senses, so with an angry growl he stomped back. He was determined to get out of the godforsaken forest, even if it was the last thing he did.

_Kanda... Come back. You need me..._

Snarling at the feeling that someone -- or something -- was watching him, Kanda swiveled around, fists raised. Again, nothing but the weapon caught his attention.

The sword stuck out of the earth, a spiny thorn breaking into even, green ground. It was gross to look at -- if he stared close enough, he could see the grass around it wilting ever so slightly.

That thing was a monstrosity. So why was the urge to grab it so great?

"Tch." Kanda frowned and walked forward slowly, posture stiff as the air became uncomfortably warm. Despite the strange situation, he was not going to allow some stupid sword get the best of him.

Taking in a deep breath, the dark-haired samurai reached down and gripped the sword, the stupid little song resuming in the background.

- - - - -

"N-n-no!" The woman wailed, trembling at the dark figure's feet. "P-please... D-don't k--"

With a high-pitched whistle and a flash of metal, the woman fell still, a large, gaping wound at her neck where her head had been seconds before. The body part missing from its place rolled to a stop a few feet away, horrified eyes wide and glassy.

The blood gushed almost comically from the neck wound, dousing the offending individual thoroughly as he brought his sword down to his side.

Idly, he stabbed the sword into the grass, removing any trace of blood from the blade, noting that human beings had too much blood in them. It was hard to imagine the heart pumping so many liters of the brilliant red liquid at such a rate that it sustained life.

Removing the blade from the ground, he scratched off a few clumps of mud clinging stubbornly to bloody patches on the weapon, turning to glance back at his handiwork, eyes critical.

Behind him, a long trail of red led to his most recent kill, her blood pooling along with the others'. Further back, a small town burned brightly, flames leaping towards the sky, smoke curling above the smoldering homes, the echoing screams of the few survivors who managed to escape the exorcist's wrath sounding through the night.

Overall, it was a job well done.

Smirking in satisfaction, Kanda turned his back on the carnage, stepping apathetically over the remains of the dead woman. The sword in his hand glowed darkly, little wisps of dark smoke curling up from the blade.

_Good, good..._

Receiving praise from a cursed sword was not on his list of priorities, but for some strange reason, a muted sense of elation filled his heart.

_Very good, boy... but I need more..._

Kanda shrugged indifferently, walking down the relatively clear path back towards the forest. Apparently, the neighboring town was through the woods, and going around would take far too long.

He sighed, appraising the dark woods ahead, then shrugged. "Whatever."

Into the forest he plunged, whacking away at the bristly spines originating from the dense woodland.

- - - - -

After what seemed like an eternity of hacking through bushes and plants, Kanda was ready to pitch the damned katana into the brambles and try his luck going around. It was certainly better than being cut to ribbons by thorns.

_Don't you dare, boy_...

Cursing colorfully, the Japanese teen whacked viciously at a large bramble hindering his way as if it had offended him personally.

Instead of chopping through the plant like he expected, though, the sword merely bounced off, making the infuriating piece of vegetation shake from the impact.

Kanda glared at the thing, surprised, then growled, planting himself firmly and swinging the sword around, above his head, to bring it down with bone-crushing ferocity upon the thorns.

"What the hell?!" Granted, he was not one to be stunned easily, especially by vegetation commonly seen back home. The fact that the damned sword did nothing -- not even a dent, for crying out loud -- was enough to unnerve the long-haired samurai.

_Such a shame... I liked you, boy..._

The sword's dark aura flared for a few seconds, before dying out completely, making his arm go slack. It was as if a weight had been lifted from it, and the sudden lightness was disconcerting at best.

Kanda stared at his hand clenched around the bloody hilt, gore crusting his hand. On the sword's hilt, he noted absently, was a ruby-colored spade. As he watched, the spade burned brightly, the light making little spots dance before his eyes, before flaring out as well.

Around him, loud rustlings brought him back from his examination, making him jerk up and look around. "Who's there?!"

The whispers around him grew, and something sharp grasped onto his leg. Hissing in pain, he glanced down to see a thorny vine wrapped tightly around his ankle, the sharp spines digging into his skin painfully.

He raised the sword in an attempt to dislodge the bellicose barb, but another hooked onto his arm, keeping the sword suspended in the air above his head.

Warily, he watched the sword point dangle mere inches from his face, clinging to it desperately to keep from impaling himself, despite the sharp thorns burrowing deep into his skin.

Wincing, he ignored the blood running down his arm, waving his free arm in an attempt to free himself.

More and more vines scuttled forward, wrapping around his legs tightly to prevent him from moving. The more he squirmed, the more the coils constricted, shifting up his torso towards his chest, leaving behind tiny streams of bright red liquid.

The thorns holding his arm snaked down as well, poised dangerously close to his face. It hovered before his eyes, seeming like a living, conscious being instead of just a stupid plant.

_Sinner..._ It snarled, and he saw before his eyes the hundreds of innocents he had slaughtered just hours before. Men, women, and children -- all carelessly massacred because of the whims of a sword. If he had thought he was going to hell before, a spot with his name was definitely being reserved for him now.

The thorn quivered, almost laughing, then lunged, wrapping tightly around his throat. Blood spurted heavily from the wound, and though he felt the pressure and saw his lifeblood leech away, he did not fall. He was still conscious of the excruciating pain -- he could feel more vines curl around him, restricting movement and causing more blood to spurt from various places.

The vines hissed, covering every inch of his body except for his eyes. _Sinner... Sinner..._

One vine in particular danced before his eyes, squirming irritably. It lunged forward mockingly, red coating most of the stalk. It was his blood...

The wound at his neck was more than enough to kill anyone, so why wasn't he dead?

The vine surged toward him, making him feel like it could read his mind.

_Sinner... You will suffer your punishment for all eternity..._

As the final vine closed over his eyes, plunging him in darkness, Kanda screamed.

- - - - -

With a dry thump, the writhing samurai fell off his bed, landing in a tangled heap on the floor, cursing savagely.

Once he'd gotten the initial profanity out of the way, he let out a long breath and tried to still his racing heart.

Panting, eyes wide, he wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, yanking away the covers that wrapped around his waist in a suffocating manner.

He looked around, sighing softly as he took in the shattered window that had become the single most interesting thing in his room, save for his lotus flower, enjoying the cool breeze that fluttered in through the opening, glad that the horrid nightmare had been nothing more.

Unbeknownst to him, a tinkling little melody scurried out of his room from under the cracks in the door, carrying with it images of blood and gore and a very deadly sword.

_Who will be my next Alice?_

- - - - -


	3. Chapter 3

**Alice Human Sacrifice:**

**By Amaya 24**

**Disclaimer: Do not own.**

**Chapter 2: The Second Alice**

- - - - -

_The second Alice was a singer of Diamond_

_Who tamely sang a song in that strange new land._

_Loved by all, he sang with all his might,_

_Until his haunting tune made him go slightly mad._

_This Alice had a bed of lovely red roses_

_And there it was where a cross-eyed man shot him through_

_Dying, he lay among his precious little buds_

_Watching as the wound grew into a bright red bloom_

- - - - -

The redhead yawned quietly, closing his tired eyes to try to ease the irritation. He had been reading non-stop for hours, and the strain was starting to affect him. Even Bookmen had to sleep at some point.

Ever since he'd returned from his last mission with Allen and the others, Lavi had gone through every single Bookman record he could lay his hands on. He had memorized them all before, but he was hoping he had missed something -- some secret way to defeat the Noah family once and for all.

After countless hours of research, however, all he had to show for his efforts was a pounding headache and half a dozen paper cuts.

With a sigh, he leaned back on his seat, looking around the gloomy library, completely devoid of life at this unholy hour.

Absently, his mind wandered towards other unimportant things, frowning slightly at the eerie silence that surrounded him. Usually, he didn't mind it -- it helped him concentrate. But now... _Ugh_. He shuddered, rubbing his arms.

In an effort to ease his discomfort, Lavi placed his hands behind his head and closed his eyes, humming softly.

As the bright little tune began fading away as he drifted off to sleep, a tiny wisp wiggled its way toward him, undulating happily, echoing the jingle the redhead had been humming minutes before.

_Are you my next Alice?_

- - - - -

Lavi was stumped. Completely and utterly baffled, and it wasn't often _that _happened to the heir to the Bookman.

He glanced around him uncertainly, taking in the bright, picturesque landscape with a frown. "Huh... Where the heck am I?"

The place, while peaceful-looking, was completely alien to him -- he would have recognized the area if he had been there before, thanks to his photographic memory. The place, though, seemed more like something out of a children's book instead of the real world -- everything was so clean and bright.

With a shrug, the redhead stretched and walked down the dirt road he was standing on, trying to figure out how he had gotten there in the first place.

His boots kicked up little puffs of dust, and he watched as they blew away with the small breeze that was fluttering around him.

For some reason, he began feeling edgy despite the serene scenery, and he glanced around in an effort to ease his worry.

Up ahead, he saw a tree swaying softly in the wind, and as he watched, a starling swooped down from nowhere and landed on a branch.

He smiled a bit at the sight, and continued walking, expecting to hear the bird calls and whatnot.

It was only a few feet later that he realized he couldn't hear it. Couldn't hear much of anything, really.

Surprised, he glanced up at the bird. It gazed down at him curiously, and it was obvious that it was chirping, but he could not _hear_ it.

He frowned, knocking the side of his head comically with his palm as if it would help him somehow with his apparent temporary deafness.

Sadly, nothing but silence met the redhead, much to his chagrin, and he let loose an irritated growl.

"Wait a second..." Seeing that he could hear both his own words and his earlier growl, he deducted that there was nothing wrong with him, just with everything around him.

As such, he shot the bird an uneasy look and continued walking, tensing unconsciously. If he couldn't hear anyone coming up behind him, anyone with half a brain and a sharp object could come and attack him.

He shuddered at the thought and struggled to put it out of his mind, the bright, sunny background seeming fake and menacing now that he had figured out what was wrong.

To distract himself further from the threatening air of the place, the fiery-haired exorcist began to hum, keeping himself company that way.

Before he knew it, the soft hum had evolved into a full-blown performance. Sure, Lavi didn't sing often, but he knew how.

"_Ni-banme Arisu wa otonashiku_..." Curiously, Lavi realized what he was singing was in Japanese. He tried to analyze it, to figure out what he was saying, exactly, but the song and his own wandering mind were plotting against him, pointing out a billion other things that would normally not worry him but seemed unbelievably interesting now.

"_Utawo utatte fushigi no kuni! Ironna otowo afure sasete, kurutta sekaiwo umidasita..._" Hmm... Something about someone named Alice? And she was second... somewhere...

Ignoring the little voice nudging irritably at the back of his head, the redhead bounced down the path, singing louder.

"_Sonna Alice wa barano hana, ikareta otoko ni uchi korosarete..._" Something red at the side of the road caught his attention, and he stopped long enough to stare.

Roses. It was a bed of roses in the middle of freaking nowhere. Nicely tended to, too, if looks were anything to go by.

_"Makkana hanawo ichi-rin sakase, minnani mederare karete-yuku,_" he finished softly, kneeling by the crimson flowers.

He bent forward, pulling one of the longer blooms towards him to take a sniff, when he began giggling. Surprised, he sat back, still giggling like a child on a sugar rush. What the heck...?

In his head, the song began playing again, echoing strangely. The song, originally bright and bouncy, took on a sinister tone, resounding in his skull almost painfully.

Wincing, he repressed the shudders coursing down his spine and clutched at his head, eyes shut tight, biting his cheeks to keep from shouting out.

As suddenly as it came, the pain disappeared, leaving behind a numb, dead feeling. There was something wrong, wasn't there?

He tried to remember what he had been doing, but all rational thoughts evaded him as his eyes... er, eye, fell upon the lovely red roses.

Humming simply, he reached over and plucked off a bud, wincing slightly as his thumb fell victim to a thorn.

He dropped the flower and stared at his hand, watching as the little crimson drop grew and grew. When the surface tension keeping it together broke, he saw it slide down his thumb, following a curving path to the back of his hand.

He followed the droplet's process inanely, a foolish smile on his face. Slowly, he began humming his song again, stumbling over the lyrics that had come so naturally only minutes before.

The droplet he stared at so intently began drying up, the residual trail leaving a relatively long streak on his pale skin. The teen was so absorbed in the amazing liquid that had come from within him that he failed to notice a large shadow looming above.

- - - - -

The figure, dressed in black, stared at the dull-looking boy, watching him as he mouthed something to himself silently.

He was staring at a tiny drop of blood on his hand like it was the single most fascinating thing in the world, and the man wrinkled his nose in distaste. He could not _stand_ dirty, ugly things like him.

Slowly, as if it pained him, he pulled a large silver gun from a holster at his side, aiming at the boy, who looked up at him naively, green eye wide and confused.

The man felt a twinge of pity for a second, before he shook his head, shot the gun and walked away.

He was putting the poor boy out of his misery, in his opinion.

- - - - -

"Ow..." The shock of the blow sent Lavi crashing through the pretty flowers, and he gaped stupidly as more crimson blood gushed from his chest.

The pain that followed the gunshot seared his brain, and gasped as the numb feeling hindering his senses lifted away, the severity of the situation finally dawning on him.

Whimpering nervously, he pressed his hands against the wound, trying to remember what to do in a situation like this, paling considerably as blood spurted from between his fingers, coating them thoroughly.

Taking in a deep breath, the redhead tried to sit up. Pain shot through his body at the motion, so instead he leaned back, applying pressure to the gunshot. Who shot him? And why? More importantly, how did he not _notice_?

As the blood leaked out rapidly, aided in part by his erratic heartbeat, Lavi tried to think of ways to help himself, trying not to think of how heavy his head felt, or how weak his arms were getting.

His breathing slowed infinitesimally, and his foggy brain wandered. Faintly, he could have sworn he heard that damned song playing above him, taunting him.

He grit his teeth stubbornly, and prayed that someone would walk by soon and notice a bleeding boy on the side of the road. Maybe from there they could take him to a hospital or something and it would all be better.

_And maybe, just maybe, the tooth fairy's real,_ he thought snidely, applying more pressure to the gaping in hischest.

After some time, he noted that the blood flow was stopping, and he lifted his hands, wincing as the fabric clung to his skin.

He gaped at his chest, green eye widening as he marveled at the large red rose growing from the wound. How was it possible...?

He reached over, tugging on the bloom gently, gasping in pain as the stem, and the thorns on it, scraped the sides of the wound, pulling painfully on his insides.

Bile and blood crawled up his throat, and he gagged as a small trickle ran out of the side of his mouth. All the while, the song continued, echoing in his fuzzy brain.

His eyesight blurry now, the redhead saw something small and black flutter towards him, landing daintily on his flower.

"A... butterfly...?" He tried to say, but the blood in his mouth prevented him from articulating his thoughts.

The butterfly walked around the flower, smelling it or tasting it or whatever the hell it was doing, and its wings opened and closed slowly, allowing the fallen exorcist to gaze at the pattern on the underside of its wings.

The blue diamond shape was so out of place, so impossibly perfect in nature where it shouldn't belong, that the small fact didn't seem to compute.

Of course, he didn't have much time to process much of anything.

His eyesight dulled, narrowing into a severe tunnel vision. He contemplated panicking, but all sensation was starting to fade away, leaving nothing but the annoyingly cheerful song echoing in his brain.

- - - - -

With a startled yelp, the Bookman-to-be fell off his chair, slamming painfully onto the floor, the chair he was resting on shooting off in the opposite direction, coming to a stop against a pile of books, which created a domino effect and toppling over another stack -- damn him for not picking up after himself.

Blinking and holding his injured head, the redhead glanced around, taking in the scattered papers, vaguely comparing the messy library with the chaos that was the Chief's office.

Groaning, he sat up, rubbing his sore back, trying to remember what had startled him out of his sleep. Something about a butterfly...?

"Ugh... Been readin' too much," he sighed, remembering a certain Noah's fondness for

carnivorous butterflies. "I need to get some shut-eye..."

He stood up, categorizing the random aches and pains that had taken residence on his body in the short amount of time he was asleep. His neck was as sore as the rest of him, and he silently thanked whatever had woken him up. Any longer in his awkward position and he would have paid for it later.

As he walked around the room, gathering up loose papers and books, a tiny wisp fluttered away, a tinny little tune playing softly in the darkness.

_Where is my next Alice?_

- - - - -


	4. Chapter 4

**Alice Human Sacrifice**

**By Amaya 24**

**Disclaimer: Don't own.**

**Chapter 3: The Third Alice**

- - - - -

_The third Alice was a lovely child of Clover_

_A beautiful figure in Wonderland_

_Many people she deluded in her naive show_

_To create a strange new country was her last stand._

_This third Alice was the Queen of her lonely land,_

_When she realized her time ruling just wouldn't last_

_Wishing she could stay and rule her land forevermore_

_Putrid body, dead and rotting's what fate had in store._

- - - - -

Lenalee Lee was having a nightmare.

Then again, her entire life could bee seen as one big nightmare, so the comparison was moot at best.

She glanced at her room, watching as the moonlight streamed silently through the chinks in the curtains.

Wiping away the sweat on her forehead, she punched her pillow in hopes of making it more comfortable and lay back down, closing her eyes.

A small, wriggling shape squirmed into her room, taking in the simple features, then the distressed feeling in the air.

The nightmare's effects had yet to be dispelled, and the young girl whimpered, caught between wanting to rest and keeping away from the nightmares that lurked in the shadows.

The wisp crawled up the bedpost, hovering above the Chinese girl's face, a soft little song playing happily.

_Here is my next Alice..._

- - - - -

Lenalee glanced around the brightly lit hall, taking in the lavish decorations, surprised. Hadn't she been at the Order?

The thought disappeared as quickly as it had come, and she continued to gaze at the scene in awe.

It was a ball of some sort, and the people dancing below her seemed unreal, like something out of a dream. Colors and shapes combined, creating a maelstrom, masks with feathers and other bright, gaudy outfits all trying to out-shine the other in the overall mess.

A figure walked toward her, and she noticed she was sitting apart from the rest of the people, on a tall, gilded throne, clad in a beautiful, flowing dress. Why she was separated, she had no idea, but she suddenly really wanted to dance.

The figure, a male, she deduced, bowed low, his face hidden by a silver mask, then straightened up, dressed pristinely in a black and silver suit. He seemed so familiar, but she could not place him for whatever reason.

"Milady," he murmured softly, extending a gloved hand towards her, a clear offer to dance.

Surprised, and slightly flattered, she nodded demurely and took his hand, staring at his snowy white hair, a light bulb going off in her head.

"Allen?" She questioned, following the taller boy out onto the dance floor. The teen started a bit, then turned to face her, placing his right hand on her waist and gripping her other lightly with his left.

"Yes, Milady?" The polite tone was nothing new, but the title sure was.

Chuckling softly, the girl followed his lead as he lightly began steering her into an easy waltz. "Allen... You don't have to be so formal."

"Erm..." He coughed nervously, stumbling slightly in his agitation. "O-of c-c-course, your Highness."

Confused, Lenalee opened her mouth to argue she was not royalty when their short-lived dance was halted by a taller man with short red hair.

He bowed to the Chinese girl, then smiled easily at Allen. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but... may I cut in?"

Allen chuckled, slightly relieved to be out of the spotlight, and offered her hand to the new dance partner. He bowed once more backed away, letting the taller step in.

He carefully took hold of her hand and set the other at her waist, smiling softly, sparkling green eyes shining through the black mask.

"Your Highness," he murmured softly, spinning her slowly. Lenalee blushed, gazing at the red mop of hair. There were only two people in the world she knew who had such bright hair, and since one was a perverted, womanizing good-for-nothing who had a cloud of smoke hanging over his being constantly, she figured that the one she was dancing with was the second.

"Lavi," she greeted, watching him carefully. If he reacted anything like Allen had, she would know something was wrong.

The redhead looked up, green eyes surprised, yet kind. "Yes, your Highness?"

She sighed, leaning against him lightly as they spun around the other dancing couples. "Lavi, what's wrong with you guys? Why so--"

The song finished, cutting off her sentence, and the redhead bowed, looking a little concerned. "Your Highness, are you feeling alright?"

"I'm fine," she complained, pouting slightly. "But--"

"Queen!" A loud voice called, and about half the people around her turned to stare. The voice, she knew, belonged to her brother.

Lavi gulped, bowed to her hurriedly, and backed away, murmuring a quick: "It was an honor, your Highness," before escaping the wrath that was sure to befall him if her brother showed up and saw them together.

Stunned wasn't even close to how she was feeling, but she quickly tapped down the emotion and turned to stare at the white shape hurtling toward her at full speed.

The figure, thankfully, came to a stop right before crashing into her. Blinking, Lenalee gazed at her older brother, who'd composed himself in an incredibly short amount of time.

Someone who looked suspiciously like Johnny stumbled forward, slamming into Komui, before quickly offering apologies. Komui ignored the hurried sorries and beamed at his younger sister.

"How are you doing, little sister?" He asked, embracing the female exorcist. "Are you having fun?"

"Um..." She stared at her brother, blinking repeatedly to make sure she wasn't seeing things. Perched jauntily on his head, a golden coronet glinted brightly in the candle light. His outfit was white, as she usually saw him, but the clothes... Was he wearing a suit? Why was her brother, the man who refused to take off his slippers even while working, wearing a suit?

"Good, good." The curly-haired man grinned, spinning in a circle, the crown amazingly staying in place despite the vigorous movement. The girl wilted -- she hadn't even had a chance to answer.

Still twirling, he grabbed his sister's hand and spun her around, smiling. "You may be the queen, sis, but you still have to have fun every once in a while!"

Pulling away, she gawked at her older brother. "What?"

"Sis... Are you feeling okay?" He leaned over and gently pressed the back of his hand against her forehead, much like he did when she was little. Except that, back then, it didn't cause complete and utter chaos.

Johnny gasped, thick glasses magnifying his eyes tenfold. "_The queen's sick?!_"

"N-no!" She stuttered, waving her hands before her to fend off the horde of servants and other random people began crowding around, each clamoring for a different thing.

"Someone get a doctor!"

"What's going on?!"

"Is she going to die?"

Lenalee sighed, a tic appearing over her eye in irritation. "I'm fine..."

A tall shadow loomed above her suddenly, and she found all of the people who had seconds ago been vying for her attention dispersed all around the room.

Nervously, she glanced up, blinking furiously at the tall figure standing guard above her. It couldn't be... could it...?

"Your Highness," the tall teen mumbled, sheathing his sword. His hair, the feature she most envied, shone in the candlelight, effectively distracting her for a few minutes. Enough to make him clear his throat to get her attention, anyways.

"K-k-kanda..." she stuttered, blinking. He was her bodyguard now?

Komui, who had stayed beside his sister while everyone else scrambled away, smiled up at the samurai. "Thank you, Kanda. That's enough."

The teen nodded abruptly, then sauntered back to his position by the door, fingering his sword as if itching to use it but obviously restricted by higher forces.

While her brother helped her up, the pig-tailed girl glanced around the hall, trying to pinpoint her friends.

There was Allen, stuffing himself at a table filled with _hors d'oeuvres_. Lavi was standing beside him, snickering and waving Kanda over to join the festivities, which the teen was refusing to do.

A few feet away, Miranda and Marie danced together, the tall exorcist leading the shorter in a graceful waltz. Absently, she wondered how the overly excitable Miranda managed to keep from tripping over something, but she figured Marie was making sure they both completed their course without trouble.

A room-length away, someone who appeared to be Cloud Nine was sitting beside another red-haired man, this one's face covered by a familiar white mask. Who would have thought that Nine and Cross would get along so well without anyone losing any limbs?

Leading the orchestra was Froi Tiedol, happily humming along as his baton cut through the air.

Chaoji had entered the scene at some point, and now he and Allen were trying to see how many appetizers they could fit in their mouths while Lavi goaded them on.

Johnny had recovered from his scare and had returned to Komui's side, beaming happily.

Reever was talking amiably with Miss Fay, her brother's new assistant, and Bak Chan and even Fou were getting along. Somewhat.

It was around that time that the Chinese girl realized something was wrong. Her pigtails had been burned off -- even now, her hair only reached her neck. Yet, as she reached back, she felt the long, silky tips of her pigtails brush against her lower back.

"Maybe I'm dreaming," she murmured softly, then glanced around. It seemed like a nice enough dream.

She continued glancing around, and gasped at how many people she recognized.

There was Tapp, talking with Jake Russell while his son cavorted around with Timothy. She caught a glimpse of Suman Dark, placidly entertaining a hyper-looking Daisya Barry.

Everyone she knew, or ever had known, was present, happy and _alive_. As far as she was concerned, this dream could go on forever. She didn't mind.

High above, a tiny wisp of smoke danced happily, a chirpy tune tinkling in anticipation.

- - - - -

Time passed, and she happily ignored her common sense.

Why was she being called the 'Queen'?

Why did people like Allen and Lavi act so awkward when near her? Of course, that could probably have something to do with the Queen thing, but...

More importantly, what happened with the Akuma?

"Rhode?" The little girl, dressed in a maid's outfit, skipped forward, blue eyes curious.

"Yes, your Majesty?" She curtsied, and the exorcist only vaguely wondered why the Noahs were her servants. She ignored the thought and smiled slightly at the Noah child.

"Where's my brother?" She questioned, glancing around the crowded hall to find her sibling.

The spiky-haired girl frowned slightly. "Prince Komui is with... with your mother and father, my Queen."

"Why?" When she'd found out her parents were still alive, she had been ecstatic. She barely remembered them, but she figured this was the perfect time to catch up.

"I'm afraid that they've been feeling a bit under the weather lately, Milady," the girl responded, hands clasped before her.

The 'Queen' frowned, standing from her throne, ignoring the hundreds of people who bowed as she left the room.

Rhode pattered after her, skipping ahead to beat her uncle at opening the door. The Portuguese man wrinkled his nose slightly, bowing to the queen as she _clacked_ down the hall.

"If I may be so bold, Milady," the girl murmured, running to keep pace with the queen's rapid steps, "what are you planning to do?"

She ignored the question, reaching her parent's quarters in no time, opening the door and stumbling in.

Her brother looked up, eyes tired, but shot the younger a small smile. "Sis... Is something wrong?"

She shook her head no, and sat at the edge of the bed her parents were sharing, eyes traveling to the pallid look on both adult's faces.

They were sleeping, their breathing slow and steady, and there was a scent in the air that she just could not place.

Sighing, her brother stood and slowly ushered her out of the room, a somber look on his face. "Sis... I need to talk to you..."

Wincing at his serious tone, she turned to stare at him, worry gnawing at her insides. "What is it?"

He inhaled loudly, steeling himself, and leaned back. "Sis... I think... I'm not sure how long Mother and Father are going to last like this."

It seemed like the entire world crumbled under her, leaving an empty, hollow feeling in her chest. "What?"

He looked away. "Everyone dies eventually, sis. It's part of life.

- - - - -

Later, in her room, the queen pondered her brother's words.

_Everyone dies eventually...._ But what if they didn't have to?

"I'm the Queen," she murmured softly, a soft little song playing in her head. "I can get anything I want..."

Determined, she shot from her bed, a deranged smile on her face, the tune goading her on.

"I demand... no, that won't work," she frowned, eyes unfocused as the glanced up at the heavens. "I _wish_... My wish is that... no one I care about dies!"

Giggling maniacally, she spun in a circle, an elated smile on her face, before flopping down on her bed. Everything would be okay now!

Cheerful thought in mind, she turned on her stomach and fell fast asleep.

- - - - -

The frantic knocking at her door was a nuisance, to be sure. All she really wanted to do was sleep the day away, not deal with the niceties that came with being royalty.

"Sis?! Sis, come on, wake up, quick!"

The voice on the other side of the door cursed, causing the other people around to gasp and flutter around in their own useless way. The pounding continued, drumming painfully against her temples.

With a groan, the long-haired exorcist sat up, rubbing her head tiredly. "I'm coming..."

The knocks continued as if she had not spoken, and, annoyed, the girl grabbed a long robe from her bedside and shambled towards the doors before flinging them open.

The white-clad person on the other side yelped and he tottered unsteadily now that the door holding his weight had been removed, then glanced down at his younger sibling, eyes shining with tears. "Sis!"

The younger girl looked up, eyes flashing nervously. Maybe her wish hadn't worked after all...

But no. Her older brother wrapped her into a tight hug, ignoring the scandalized gasps around him, shoulders shaking with frantic sobs. "It's like a miracle! It's amazing..."

And so it was. Miraculously, her parents had recovered to full strength, despite the doctor's warnings that they would not last the night.

The queen watched, smiling happily, as everyone crowded around the recovered monarchs, smirking as a soft little tune echoed in her head.

Absently, she scratched her hand, ignoring the faint discoloration that covered the back of it. The color leeched away slowly, traveling up her arm, leaving the skin behind papery thin and white.

- - - - -

More days passed, and while everyone in her kingdom seemed to revel in their newly discovered immortality, the queen's health seemed to steadily decline.

It wasn't serious, she constantly replied when asked, but she soon realized that her statement was as far from the truth as possible.

The doctor said it was impossible, that there was simply no way that something like that could be happening, to her of all people, but it was true.

She was rotting. Alive.

The first signs had been her blood slowly fading from the rich, oxygen-fed red to a dull, watery texture that offered no relief to the growing worry of her family and subjects.

Next, despite the fact that she was still moving about, her skin began to shrink, clinging to her skeletal frame heinously.

Yet she continued to move around, acting as if nothing were wrong, as if she wasn't disappearing grotesquely before their very eyes.

- - - - -

She sat on her throne, alone, watching as the people below waltzed uneasily, few daring to look up at the queen. Those who did quickly regretted it later, shifting their gaze to something less revolting, like, say, Allen Walker eating over three times his own body weight in food, or Chaoji Han.

No one asked her to dance anymore. The sight itself was disgusting, but the smell that accompanied it -- the smell of raw meat long past its expiration date -- was enough to put off even the bravest of souls.

And still, her piercing eyes devoured the atmosphere in the room hungrily, commanding anyone and everyone to come up and bow to her.

"The walking dead," a red-haired young man murmured, shivering as her dead, sunken eyes traveled towards him and the others.

The white-haired teen beside him nodded, uncomfortably swallowing the lump of food in his mouth. "It's kind of ruining my appetite."

"Then you know it's gotta be bad," a third voice interjected softly, and two pairs of eyes widened to stare at the usually stoic bastard guarding the front entrance of the hall.

Suddenly, a loud, chirpy tune broke the tension in the air, drawing all eyes toward the decrepit queen.

Her skin, now faintly resembling something akin to spoiled milk, seemed to glow unnaturally in the hall's illumination, causing all those within a ten-foot radius of her to back away hurriedly.

Her long, sleek locks were dull and unkempt, and her sunken eyes widened in shock as her body -- nothing more than a skeleton, really -- convulsed, loud, painful cracks adding to the eerie song playing above.

"Please, stop!" She wanted to cry, but her vocal cords crumbled to dust, feeling every small, painful jolt run through her body.

She watched, stupefied, as her subjects -- no, _her friends_ gazed at her with barely concealed horror, backing away while she needed their help.

"Why is this happening?!" She demanded, but the only thing that came out of her emaciated form was a soft gurgling as the last vestiges of bodily fluids evaporated into thin air.

And despite everything that was happening, every action that clearly made living an impossibility, she was still conscious.

The tune playing above her, before nothing but a figment of her imagination, swelled, seeming to laugh at her scornfully.

_Everything has a price..._

With a last, shattered gasp, her body collapsed, crumbling into ashes. The song continued to play, making everything fade to black.

- - - - -

With a piercing scream fit to wake the dead, the sixteen-year old female exorcist shot from her bed, her throat raw from her previous action.

Shaking furiously, she clutched her covers, doused in a cold sweat, a loud, keening whimper rising from her chest.

With a loud bang, someone burst into her room, making the girl shriek again loud enough to scare the people at the door.

A warm, soothing body clung to her, patting her head nervously. "Shh... It's okay, Lenalee... It's okay. I'm here..."

She clutched her brother's coat frantically, trying to swallow the screams still building up behind her throat.

Behind her brother, a rag-tag group of scientists yawned, obviously roused from their well-earned rest by the senseless scientist with a sister complex.

Wailing, she sobbed into her brother's chest, shivering at the nightmare that clung so viciously to her consciousness.

While the scientists grumbled and trooped back to their rooms, a tiny wisp of smoke fluttered away, carrying with it a stench of death and decay.

_Where, oh, where is my last Alice?_

_- - - - -_


	5. Chapter 5

**Alice Human Sacrifice**

**By Mii-Chan 24 **

**(Formerly known as Amaya 24)**

**Disclaimer: Do not own.**

**Chapter 4: The Fourth Alice**

_See right there, under the tree the twins happily_

_Watching as the ace of hearts lured them from safety_

_Both walked away from their home in hopes to find_

_Adventure and fun combined!_

_The fourth Alice was really the lovely Twins of Heart_

_Curiosity leading them into Wonderland_

_Through the doors they found many a violent lie_

_Trump card granting access to places far and wide_

_The valiant older sister's here_

_The brilliant younger brother's near_

_Too bad their dreams led them too close_

_To the sinner Alice's land._

_Now their dreams are forever trapped inside the gloom;_

_Wander into Wonderland and you'll meet your doom!_

Timcanpy's wings ruffled gently in the quiet night, and the golem turned slightly to gaze at his sleeping master.

The white-haired boy was sprawled on his bed, completely exhausted from his last mission, still in his rumpled uniform. The poor boy had been too tired to change into his pajamas.

Below the young exorcist, his ever-present shadow snoozed quietly, standing to attention even in his sleep. Tim huffed - did that man ever relax?

Shrugging away the thought, the golden ball swooped down from his perch on the exorcist's bureau to land on his master's head.

The boy shifted as the weight on his head increased, then settled back down, drool leaking slowly out of the side of his mouth.

Slightly disgusted, Tim nudged the boy's head to the side, trying to avoid the deluge of saliva that resulted in the action.

Mumbling sleepily, the boy flipped over, dislodging the golem. Annoyed, the golden ball fluttered to the window, watching his master, and was tempted to land upon the Inspector's head to use as a resting place. It _seemed_ comfortable, at any rate.

Grinning widely, the rather large golem glided from his perch and landed heavily on the straight, blond fringe, turning to face the window to have a nice view of the moon.

A tiny wisp of smoke fluttered in, dodging the blond man who seemed too tense to be asleep, floating above the gold ball, and barreling straight into its next Alice.

_My dear, dear Alice..._

Allen Walker was exhausted. He felt like he could sleep for days on end, and if anyone _dared_ wake him up... Well. He pitied the fool.

He was sleeping blissfully, and thankfully, his nightmares had subsided; all that remained was a faint throb at his temple that irked him to no end, but he was so comfortable that he really didn't care.

The throbbing increased in pace to match his heartbeat, a fact that pressed uncomfortably at his subconscious. He wanted to sleep, but he was caught between alertness and the drowsy half-sleep that his body craved so much.

Time ticked by, and the more he deliberated, the more his head plotted ways to keep him awake, the throbbing at his temple nearly unbearable. Not only that, but a similar beat was being tattooed onto his back by some foreign object.

With a groan, the white-haired boy rolled over, back arching in response to the unidentified object pressing against it. "About time."

He was insanely tired, but with a loud yawn, he scrubbed at his eyes and opened them slowly, squinting at the sudden onslaught of light.

As soon as his eyes adjusted to the bright day, he glanced around, a faint nagging at the back of his head warning him that something was not quite right. Whether it was the too-bright landscape - they were in England, damn it, and it was winter, to boot - or the muffled nature noises, something about the entire scene just seemed... off.

"Oi. Are you alright?" The slightly bored voice caught his attention suddenly, and he glanced up, wondering how he could have missed a person standing above him. It should have been obvious - _had it been a battle he would have been dead_ - but for some reason it didn't register.

The boy struggled shake away the cobwebs cluttering his mind, blinking sleepily at the stranger that sounded so familiar. The boy (because it was obviously a boy) was tall, but that could have simply been the Exorcist's brain playing tricks on him. He _was_ on the floor, after all.

Heaving a sigh, he straightened up, running a hand through his disheveled hair. He felt so tired...

"Allen, wake up. We have to go."

"I'm up, I'm up," the young exorcist yawned, rubbing his eyes and glancing up at the mysterious voice.

"About time." The other repeated, and the nagging feeling at the back of his head made the white-haired General glance up to view the mystery speaker.

His heart jumped to his throat when he caught sight of the white hair above him; his eyes widened as he traced the scar running down the other's left cheek, and he nearly fainted when he saw the abnormally wide smile gracing the other's face.

"Good morning, Allen..." The boy chirped, the smile twisting into what some would consider a smirk.

The exorcist felt himself pale considerably, vaulting upright with surprising speed. He regretted it soon after, groaning as his surroundings proceeded to swirl around him obnoxiously. "Oh..."

"Take it easy, brother. We wouldn't want you to hurt yourself..." The soft, almost mocking tone made a shiver roll down his spine, but he bit back any comment that threatened to bubble to the surface.

Instead, he smiled sheepishly, the gesture never truly reaching his eyes. "Right. Sorry."

He stared at the young man for a minute, taking in the casual attire he had on. The white button-up shirt he had become so accustomed to was hidden under a dark blazer, and his sleeves were rolled up so that his mismatched arms could be seen. The tie he wore had been loosened considerably, and now hung limply against the other's neck. His hair, normally lying in a disorderly mess about his head, was slicked down in a relatively neat way on the other. He looked older, too... More battle-weary, in a way. It could have been his imagination, but he also fancied a faint, somewhat dusky tone to his complexion.

The other-him smirked imperceptibly, smoothing back an errant cowlick. "Awake now, are we...?"

"More or less." Uneasy, the younger of the two brushed the dirt from his clothes, stifling another yawn, trying to figure out why he wasn't more bothered by the fact his twin of sorts was standing before him.

"Good." The other-him shook his head, staring up at the bright skies with a nostalgic look on his face. "Come on, Allen. Let's go."

"Go where?" There was a point in time where he figured he'd look back and shake his head at the fact that he didn't trust himself, but now he figured he'd rather be safe than sorry.

His double turned, smirking in a way that made him feel like he knew what he was thinking. "I'm hungry."

On cue, his own stomach rumbled, signaling its distress by emitting the loudest, most fearful roar it could muster. Wincing sheepishly, the exorcist rubbed his stomach.

The other laughed, walking away purposefully. "Come on then, Allen... Let's go."

Something was nagging at the back of his head, but he couldn't for the life of him figure out what it was.

He knew it was important, otherwise he wouldn't be so anxious.

He honestly couldn't remember what it was, though.

Of course, half of the problem could be that he was stuffing his face so fast any coherent thought was shoved out of the way. Could be, but probably wasn't.

The other chuckled, leaning back against a tree. Somehow or another, they had ended up eating under a tree, rose bushes surrounding them on all sides.

Bees hummed gently amidst the blooms, and the warm sunlight added to the overall drowsiness of the scene. The exorcist was tired. Hungry too, but mostly tired.

He yawned, still feeling antsy at having the other stare at him. It was weird, and more than a little confusing. It was him, supposedly, but if that was him, and _he_ was himself, then how did that work?

His head was pounding again, so he figured he would stop trying to psychoanalyze the other him. Instead, he took a bite out of his apple, staring at the bright blue sky above them absently.

"Allen...?"

The exorcist swallowed, staring at his older counterpart. "What?"

"Do you-" He froze, gray eyes wide, and winced at the sudden, sharp sound of something cutting through air. Allen himself felt the breeze of the object as it shot past him, and gulped awkwardly at the quivering... thing impaled into the tree, mere inches from his doppelganger's face.

"What was that?" Apple forgotten, he shuffled forward as his twin pulled the thin object from the tree. The other shrugged, wincing slightly, and stuck his thumb into his mouth.

"I 'unno, bu' i's sharp," The other muttered around his thumb. The small, square thing didn't seem like much, and the side Allen could see was checkered black and white. The diamond pattern was familiar, for sure, but it couldn't possibly be what he was thinking.

The other boy frowned, flipping the card to view the back side, and allowing the younger exorcist a glance of an elaborately-made trump card, - either the ace of spades or hearts - colored a vibrant yellow.

"Huh." Pulling his finger out of his mouth with a _pop_, the older teen handed the card over. "Careful."

Mindful of the sharp edges, the young exorcist stared at the card, frowning at the intricate yellow heart. He had never seen a playing card like that before...

In the meantime, the older teen stood, glancing around in an effort to find the origin of the playing card. "You didn't happen to see anything, did you?"

The young exorcist frowned, shaking his head despondently. The attack - because it really couldn't be considered as anything else - had left him a bit startled, but not overly so, for some reason. He felt strange, if he was to be completely honest with himself... Not quite how he figured he _should_ feel. Shouldn't he feel more worried?

"Allen, let's go..." The older-him continued looking around, and the younger caught sight of a small, round earring hanging from the other's left earlobe, not at all like the large, gold trapezoid he wore.

He started when the older figured began walking away, heading straight for the dark, ominous-looking forest that clashed so terribly with the unusually bright scenery around him that it gave a migraine. Frowning, he hurried after his twin, glancing back to their picnic area with some remorse. He should have eaten more.

"Where _are_ we?" He hated whining, and after the numerous complaints he had received from Kanda about such manner, he wished to refrain himself from doing so. He couldn't help it, though - they had been walking _forever_.

"Uh..." The exorcist wilted visibly while the older glanced around, a curious look on his face. "That's... a good question, actually."

"So you have no idea where we are?"

"Nope."

"Now what?"

"I'm not sure..."

It was a stunning conversation. Truly informative.

The exorcist sighed, stretching his arms over his head. He was tired, and he really wanted to sleep some more, but he didn't trust his surroundings much.

Out of sheer boredom, he began humming, a mindless little tune that he had learned somewhere or another, memories of carnivals past rushing through his mind.

"Oi!" Surprised, the exorcist turned, eyes widening at the large, shining geometric shapes creating a familiar-looking gateway. A large '3' was emblazoned upon one of the many parallelograms.

The elder boy glanced at his twin, looking more than a little perturbed. "I didn't do anything."

"Neither did I..." As one, they turned to stare at the shining gate, frowning nervously. At length, the exorcist sighed, scratching his head. "So... Do we go in?"

"You want to?" The exorcist frowned at the surprised tone in his elder twin's voice. He wasn't being _reckless_ or anything. So before the other could say more, he strode towards the light.

"Huh."

He had honestly been expecting something different.

"Allen! Wha-" The white-haired boy turned, watching as his elder twin stumbled through the shining gate as well. The forest around them seemed darker than before, and leaves rustled ominously as a light wind picked up.

"... Weren't we just here...?" The exorcist chuckled at the other's confused voice, shrugging. Something about the place felt... threatening, making his spine crawl.

"I don't think so," he replied, biting back a yawn. _He was so tired..._ "It was lighter back there."

"Oh..." The other sneezed, glancing around warily, then stared at his younger counterpart. "Now where do we go?"

There was a faint path beaten into the vegetation to their left, and after some deliberation, they decided to follow it and see where it led. The trees crowded into the trail claustrophobically, and the teens had to stop repeatedly to push fallen shrubbery out of the way.

Eventually, the path opened up into a clearing of sorts, and from there they could see a large and gloomy castle hovering over the tree line. Every window visible from their position was dark, but nothing could shake the horrible feeling of being watched from their thoughts.

The exorcist shivered, and caught his twin doing the same out of the corner of his eye. "Let's get going, shall we?"

Together, they walked across the silent clearing, ducking under some relatively low-hanging branches into another dirt path, this one more worn. Soon, the path narrowed so much that they had to walk single-file, jumping over fallen logs and avoiding thorny brambles, speaking in short, curt sentences.

Shivering weakly under the gazes that still followed them from behind the trees, the two white-haired boys continued wandering aimlessly. At some point, the younger had started humming again, trying to distract himself from the boredom that accompanied their trek. Oddly enough, he wasn't feeling sore or hungry or thirsty despite all their walking. He was just tired.

Again, without warning, the parallelograms appeared, the bright, dazzling light making the two teens flinch. The younger coughed, shaking his head as the light faded slightly, allowing them to catch sight of their surroundings. A bright '2' shone down on them mockingly from the crystalline gate.

"I'm really staring to hate this..."

Chuckling faintly, the exorcist stepped through the light once more.

This time, the Ark led them into a brighter part of the forest. A wide dirt path welcomed them, and the setting sun threw the shadows of trees and shrubs in their way.

Shrugging, they began walking down the path, their labored breathing the only sound for some time. The exorcist bit back a yawn, feeling his eyes water.

Frowning slightly, he turned, catching sight of his older twin lagging behind. Confused, he jogged back, standing next to the blazered teen as he in turn stared into a massive rose bush.

"I saw something..." Frown deepening at the uncertain tone in the other's words, the young exorcist nudged away a couple of blooms, wrinkling his nose at the overpowering stink wafting from the bush. It was as if someone had taken the time to spray a dead body with the most fragrant perfume _ever_.

He coughed in to the crook of his elbow, breathing shallowly through his mouth as he continued digging through the demonic rosebush. It seemed that the more flowers he pushed out of the way, the more appeared below, mocking him.

Growling in irritation, the boy huffed, using his leg to kick the dreaded blooms out of the way.

"Oh, God..." Shaking his head, though if in terror or disgust, he wasn't quite sure, the boy pulled away, coughing, the images in his head branded into his eyelids.

"Was that a...?" The younger nodded, making the other wrinkle his nose and back away from the roses. "... Must have been there a while for all those roses to grow on it..."

The exorcist nodded, closing his eyes, humming again in hopes of dispelling the sight from his head. He had never really enjoyed the sight of dead bodies of any sort.

A light blinded both for the third time, though, in all honesty, the exorcist had been expecting it... Sort of.

A large '1' glared down at them, and the young exorcist shivered, stretching his arms over his head in an effort to calm the shakes.

"Let's go," his twin murmured gruffly, pushing past him towards the shining gate. The exorcist sighed, following him.

The forest was dense once more, thorns wrapped around the trunks of trees, slowly choking the life out of the larger bits of vegetation.

"Lovely." The young exorcist grimaced, pulling away from a particularly thorny shrub and glanced around. There was no visible path through the brambles, and he did not look forward to running through them.

The temperature in the clearing dropped as the minutes passed by, to the point where the younger of the two could see his breath condensing before his eyes. "We should get going..."

"Where?" That was a good question.

"No idea." Heaving a sigh, the younger of the two glanced around in an effort to find a way through the brush.

Within minutes, both teens were thoroughly trapped within the thorns, long, sharp barbs catching on their clothes and any bits of exposed skin.

Growling, they slowly forced their way through the thickening brush, popping out from an angry tangle into a round clearing.

The brambles ran underfoot, gathering in strength towards the center of the glade, meeting other branching thorns and creating a sharp, trunk-like formation. Thinner vines ran around the large lump in the center, making it look like a large pincushion.

Both white-haired boys shuddered, glancing around uncomfortably. There was something in the air, an angry, dark aura surrounding the cluster of thorns. Fear entered their hearts slowly, and the ominous shaking of the thorny branches did nothing to ease their discomfort.

Gulping nervously, the younger of the two walked around the trunk-thing, frowning at a knobby lump beside the large trunk. He kicked at it weakly, careful to avoid stabbing himself.

A few drier branches fell apart and crumbled to the floor, revealing a glinting hilt impaled on the floor. It was a sword, its edge rusted badly in some places. The exorcist frowned, wondering exactly how it had gotten there, and nudged some more thorns out of the way, gripping the hilt and yanking it out.

Letting out a startled yelp, the white-haired boy struggled to keep his balance, glancing wearily at the large thorns sticking out of the vines around him. He was six seconds away from impaling himself on an abnormally thick barb, but was spared the trouble by his twin, who casually pulled him to safety.

"What's that?" They both glanced down at the sword clenched in the younger's hand, then jumped when a horrific snarl filled the air.

Warily, the exorcist gripped the sword, catching sight of a rusty ace of spades encrusted in the hilt. It flickered softly - obviously a trick of the light - and a sort of feverish feeling filled him. He felt sick, cheeks flushed, and tugged on his collar in order to cool himself down.

A loud shaking caught their attention, and both turned to gape at the large thorny mass behind them. It twitched before their very eyes, and the young exorcist found himself uttering a sharp yelp as a bloody arm forced its way out of the thorns.

The hand was torn to shreds from the sharp thorns, and as they watched, it pricked itself again, searching around for something. It grasped around irritably, then stopped, as if sensing them. Slowly, it stretched out toward them, beckoning them over.

Still feeling sick, and a little disoriented, the younger of the two picked his way over, holding the sword weakly before him. Ignoring the elder's protests, he poked the hand with the sword, uttering a short yelp as the hand gripped the blade, yanking it out of the white-haired boy's grip.

Stepping back wearily, both boys watched as the hand flicked the sword around with practiced ease, swinging it around to cut through outer brambles. The thorns clattered to the floor, and dark sap dripped from the severed stumps.

Having tested the blade's sharpness, the hand withdrew into the thorny cocoon, dragging the sword with it. From within, soft scuffling mingled with a soft little tune - _where the hell was _that _coming from? -_ making them back away nervously.

Anxious, feverish, the younger turned his back on the mass, looking for a way out from the godforsaken clearing. The thorns, however, enclosed them completely, dark shadows blending with each other, keeping the entrance from discovery.

"A-Allen...?" Slowly, the young Exorcist turned, spine tingling. The mass had stopped moving, and slowly cracked open, blade glinting evilly in the scant light. It snapped loudly, making both boys jump back nervously.

A bloody arm followed the glinting blade as it wrenched its way out of the thorny mass, a soft growl echoing in the clearing. Anxious, frozen in place, both white-haired boys watched as the sword flicked around the area, dry brambles clattering to the ground.

Amazingly, a body forced its way out of thorn cocoon, torn to shreds, almost, but still very much alive. The Exorcist paled, breath catching in his throat, as the demonic embryo turned, long, black hair tangled and matted with blood.

Beside him, his twin whimpered incoherent nonsense as he tried to scramble away from the bloody mess posing as a human. Not that he could blame him, but at least he was attempting to control his rising panic.

That's what he told himself, anyway. It wasn't at all because he was frozen in fear. Nope.

The long-haired _thing_ honed in on them, and Allen swore it smirked. Smirked in a condescending way that just made his blood boil, and he didn't even know why. Gritting his teeth, he reached for something with which to defend himself with, but his hand was met with thin air.

The bloodied fail of a human being smirked, bringing the sword up slowly. A dark light glinted off the blade, and a chilling sense of terror filled his chest. A thorn clattered down from the cocoon, making both white-haired boys jump.

With a strangled yelp, they both scrambled to the thorn wall, trying to find an opening desperately. Brambles tore at their skin, the blood making vines slick and difficult to hold, and still the thing didn't move.

It drew in a ragged breath, and Allen paled, turning around slowly. He should fight. He probably could, couldn't he?

But again, his body refused to obey him, and he could only watch as the bloodied monster took a slow step forward. His twin was barking at him, trying to get him to move, but he was stuck. He couldn't blink, and the air was barely making it into his lungs.

"_Allen_!" The thing lunged, and the younger boy shut his eyes in terror.

When he failed to feel a wound of any sort, he forced himself to look.

His twin bravely (stupidly?) stood between him and the blade, breathing suddenly shallow. He groaned softly as the sword slid out of him easily, and slumped down, coughing as blood backed up in his throat.

The thorn monster smirked, flicking the blood of his sword. Leisurely, it gave him a cursory look, and lunged again.

With a startled yelp, the white-haired boy jumped from his bed, landing unceremoniously on Link. The Inspector cursed gruffly in German and shoved him off, glancing around warily for intruders.

Tim flew up to his master, who was still shaking off the tangled sheets from his legs, and watched as the blonde man began yelling at his master for waking him up in the middle of the night.

Unnoticed, the little wisp of smoke floated out the window, making a beeline for the girl sitting on the umbrella.

Rhode giggled, watching as the smoke stroked her cheek tenderly. "You're welcome~!"

And it faded ways, the sights and sounds and smells from its Wonderland still resounding in the air.

_Who will be my next Alice?_

**Crap end is crap. So sue me.**

**-man and Vocaloids/Alice Human Sacrifice do not belong to me. I merely borrowed them for a time. Thank you for reading and reviewing! It was much appreciated. I forgot what I was going to say. Whatever. I have homework.**


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